Costco's Auto Purchase Program
 

By far the easiest process I have used to buy a new car was thru Costco's auto purchase program which I believe is still offered to members. I just walked into a dealership, picked out the car I wanted and talked to a sales rep. His comment was that he could not compete which my price and turned me over to the fleet manager. The entire process took less than an hour. The price you pay is a set number over invoice, no negotiating. I realize the games that can be played with invoices, but the price seemed reasonable to me. The real plus was no haggling. Perhaps the dealer gets a kickback from Costco.

Amazing people cant just pass the new post up and have to get negative . I’m thinking it’s still a free country. Interesting post battery draining, I might of missed it .

Rich is exactly right with this comment. All the whiners on this post you need to learn how to buy a vehicle. All car dealers will try and make as much money on a car deal as possible, that is free enterprise. You as a buyer need to do your homework before entering a dealership and save yourself as much money as possible. Again that is free enterprise. Stop your whining please.

my daughter's car crapped out-we used bill bryan subaru & were beyond pleased. the only thing is i kept looking for Brewster :icon_wink:

I’ve never had a bad experience at Phillip’s Toyota. My 2018 RAV4 is the best car I have ever owned, meets all of my needs, and will probably buy the same thing from the same people in the near future.

I agree. Do your homework on the car value and trade-in value. Any dealer will accept a reasonable, "take it or leave it" offer. But, you need to leave if they reject it. If you give them your phone number, they will most likely call you back and accept the offer after you leave.

I have purchased a Camry and a RAV4 from Phillips and have been happy with the process in both cases. I did my research before going in; there was a little back and forth negotiating; I came away with what I thought was a good deal. We have had our Toyotas serviced at Phillips ever since we moved here five years ago. Very happy with their service department and with prices lower than the Toyota dealer back north.

Phillips GMC Buick. +Seniors
 

Several years ago I tried to buy a GMC Arcadia. While I was sitting there trying to put a deal together, I overheard salesman cheering for profit they made on trade in from senior who took vehicle back because wife did not like color and traded at 112 miles. They were high 5inh each other. I walked out

They are in business to make money and unfortunately the best way to do it is to take advantage of uninformed customers.

Many auto salespeople are trained to solicit information from you that will help them leverage a sale.

They will ask leading questions that will help them lead you into a sale on their terms. Don't fall into that trap.

Don't negotiate anything until you get to go over a vehicle's terms.

How much do you want to spend? ( I haven't decided that yet.)

New or used vehicle? (Undecided)

Truck or SUV? (undecided)

This model or that model? (Undecided)

Cash or finance? (Undecided)

Trading in anything? (If you are say what does that have to do with the sale price. And if you are going to trade in don't bring THAT vehicle with you. Say haven't decided yet.)

Don't give out SS info. If they ask for driver's license tell them not to run a credit that will ding your score.

Don't ever say you love the vehicle! Be vague. ( say it's ok. What's your best price on it?)

Don't shop for a car when you NEED one badly. Be nonchalant.

Don't say you are flexible with price!

Say you are looking at different vehicles with different dealers. And you have an appointment to get to shortly.

Don't tell them you will finance. Get preapproved with a trusted finance company before you go shopping.

Dealers make big bucks on financing.

Don't give phone or email address.

Don't tell them how many buyers or how long you plan to keep the vehicle.

Don't ask questions too soon. Wait for invoice.

Don't pay for extras. Nitrogen is a rip off. The air you breathe is like 80% nitrogen already. Maybe more. I forget. Don't pay for pin striping or wind deflectors. If it's free that's ok but don't let that sway your decision.

Don't be in a rush. Walk away and go somewhere else.

These guys and gals do this every day. They are trained salespeople. Some are definitely more ethical than others. You are a rookie. They are the pros.

Oh, get a Carfax type report.

And basically, never finance where you buy... unless they have a cash back benefit for financing and you can pay it off or transfer asap.

As soon as salespeople go to get managers be very afraid.

Remember that you are definitely geared towards the Out The Door price.

I'm sure there's much more.

Still at it they did that to me 20 years ago. I too had to go into office to get my keys back.

One more point to remember. If you do happen to fall into a finance conversation, which you should avoid btw.

Don't mentioned that you're preapproved for some $ number.

You may test their financing, but don't fall into what you want your payments to be monthly. That's a trap cause it depends on rate and term. Like how long the loan is for. They can play games with that information. They will ask you that information. Keep all that to yourself.

Ha, I had to call the police to get my keys back at a Honda dealership in NC about 10 years ago. I received an emergency phone call and needed to leave, but they just kept sending person after person after person out to talk to me, but never would bring my keys.

Scumbags 😂

Hanging on to anger is not a good idea. Better to find a way to move on, rather than to go digging for ways to re-live a bad experience.

Ask Yourself
 

Ask yourself what other business do you have to go through "Ghost Buying"? When you sit with a sale person at the typical Auto Dealer you are at the mercy of dealing with a Ghost. How many times has the sales person said I have to check with the Manager and left you at the desk waiting for some invisible person to send back a message. That is called ghost negotiating. Your best bet is to tell the Sales person that you want to only deal with the decision maker. Absent of that leave as you are then part of the victim of a Dealer sizing up your weakness's and the many other features of a person spending thousands. Net: Only with the person who can commit ti a price, content, etc.